Sunrise Reviews

A sunrise review explores whether there is a need to regulate a currently unregulated profession or occupation. COPRRR staff conduct a comprehensive study and then make recommendations to the Colorado General Assembly.

How Do I Request that a Profession or Occupation be Regulated?

Anyone proposing to regulate an unregulated occupation or profession must submit a sunrise application to COPRRR. We conduct a comprehensive study and submit a written report to the Colorado General Assembly recommending if regulation is needed. Effective July 1, 2022, there are two application deadlines each year:

• Applications received between July 1 and December 31 will have a review completed by the following June 30, and
• Applications received between January 1 and June 30 will have a review completed by the following December 31.

Before submitting a sunrise application, and as part of the application process, please contact COPRRR at dora_OPR_Website@state.co.us at least one month prior to the application deadline, to schedule a pre-application conference.

If your sunrise application is requesting that the occupation or profession be required to comply with mandatory continuing education requirements, that application must be submitted as well.

Download Fillable Application

Statutory criteria are used to evaluate all proposals for new regulatory programs. Pursuant to the Colorado Sunrise Act, § 24-34-104.1, C.R.S., the determination of the need for new regulation is based upon the following criteria, which are effective as of July 1, 2022:

Whether the unregulated practice of the occupation or profession clearly harms or endangers the health, safety or welfare of the public;

Whether the practitioners of the profession or occupation exercise independent judgment, and whether the public can reasonably be expected to benefit from the direct regulation of the profession or occupation if a practitioner’s judgment or practice is limited or subject to the judgment or supervision of others;

Whether the public needs, and can be reasonably expected to benefit from, an assurance of initial and continuing professional or occupational competence;

Whether the public can be adequately protected by other means in a more cost-effective manner; and

Whether the imposition of any disqualifications on applicants for licensure, certification, relicensure, or recertification based on criminal history serves public safety or commercial or consumer protection interests.

Effective July 1, 2022, COPRRR may decline to conduct sunrise reviews in certain circumstances:

In the case of a repeat application with no new information provided;

The proposed regulation appears to regulate fewer than 250 individuals;

At least 33 other states regulate the profession or occupation; or

In cases where a profession or occupation is posing an imminent threat to the public's health, safety or welfare.

To create a regulatory requirement, the applicant or some other party must seek legislation, and they may do so regardless of the findings of the sunrise review.  The General Assembly makes the final determination whether regulation should be imposed upon an occupation or profession.

Go to Sunset Reviews.

Fiber Optic Technicians
Oral Preventative Dental Assistants
Medical Nutrition Therapy as Practiced by Dieticians and Nutritionists
Electrologists
Funeral Service Professionals
Speech-language Pathology Assistants
Private Security Guards
Veterinary Technicians (Decline)
Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring Technologists
Certified Midwives
Host Home Residential Providers
Veterinary Technicians
Community Association Managers
Peer Support Professionals
Behavior Analysts
Automotive Recyclers
Athlete Agents